🇪🇺 Watkins bags hat-trick as Aston Villa hit Hibs for five | OneFootball

Aston Villa have more than one foot in the Europa Conference League group stage after smashing five past Hibernian in the first leg of their playoff tie.

Ollie Watkins bagged a hat-trick as Unai Emery’s side made light work of the Scottish Premiership side at Easter Road.

Scorers: Watkins 17′, 33′, 47′, Bailey 42′, Luiz (PEN) 74′.

Villa were on top from the very first whistle and Watkins broke the deadlock inside 17 minutes, flicking Lucas Digne’s cross home leaving Hibs goalkeeper David Marshall stranded.

The England international doubled his tally just after the half-hour mark, this time arriving free at the back post to turn home from inside the six-yard box from Diego Carlos’ flick-on after a Digne corner.

Leon Bailey got in on the act just before half-time after a well-worked team move with another Digne cross laying the ball on a plate for the Jamaican to turn into the back of the net from close range.

Digne completed his hat-trick of assists jut after the break by setting up Watkins for his hat-trick goal, a low ball across the Hibs defence that was poked in from eight yards out awarded after an initial VAR check for offside.

Douglas Luiz rounded off the scoring after sending Marshall the wrong way from the spot after substitute Bertrand Traore had been fouled.

The two sides meet for the second leg at Villa Park on Thursday August 31.